1. Field of the Invention
The present intervention relates to a self-storing article of bedding.
2. Description of the Prior Art
At present conventional articles of bedding such as blankets, sheets, comforters, sleeping bags, and other covers are formed of one or more layers of flexible fabric which may be spread out in a generally flat disposition to cover a wide, expansive area. Such covers may be folded for more compact storage. However, conventional covers lack any particular storage case that allows them to be conveniently transported or otherwise handled so that the cover does not readily unfold. Some articles of bedding, particularly children""s bedding are frequently transported from one place to another. Parents frequently take children with them to visit friends and relatives. Since such visits frequently last past a child""s bedtime, the child""s articles of bedding are often taken along so that the child can temporarily sleep at the location being visited. Also, older children frequently love to engage in sleepovers with their friends. However, without some means of holding an article of bedding folded together, the bedding articles often unfold and become difficult to deal with during transport.
One expedient is to simply fold the article of bedding and stuff it into a paper or plastic bag. However, such a means for transporting an article of bedding is unsightly. Also, a suitable bag must be located each time the article of bedding is to be transported.
Some articles of bedding, such as sleeping bags, often come with their own separate storage and transportation sack. However, when the bedding article is unfolded, the sack becomes separated from it and is sometimes difficult to locate.
The present intervention is a unique article of bedding that is formed in such a way that it can be used as a conventional cover, but which is also equipped with its own self-contained storage envelope or pouch. The article of bedding can be spread out in a sheet-like form so as to cover a rather large area. The bedding article may take the form of a comforter, blanket, sleeping bag, sheet, beach towel, afghan, or bedspread. Actually, the invention is not limited to an article of bedding, since the same structural arrangement can be applied to items such as tablecloths, curtains, picnic blankets, play pen pads, and to other fabric or flexible plastic articles as well.
In any application of use, the invention involves a cover that may be spread out over a relatively large area, but which may be folded into a relatively small volume. The invention also includes a pair of flexible fabric pouch panels having opposing obverse and reverse surfaces. The pouch panels are disposed atop a relatively small area or region of the cover and are secured to the cover throughout about their peripheral boundary edges, as by sewing the panels to the cover. The peripheral, boundary edges of the overlapping pouch panels thereby define the area of the pocket region of the cover. The free edges of the panels that extend between their respective boundary edges overlap each other. The pouch panels are preferably provided with mutually engageable releaseable fasteners where they overlap.
For identification purposes one of these panels may be considered to be a first panel and the other a second panel. The first panel covers slightly over one-half of the pocket region of the cover. In the construction of the bedding article the entire obverse surface area of the first panel resides in direct face-to-face relationship with the top surface of the portion of the pocket region of the cover over which it extends, when the panels are in a first orientation. The other panel may be considered to be the second panel and also covers slightly more than one-half of the pocket region of the cover. The second panel extends over the remaining area of the pocket region of the cover that lies beyond the first panel, and also over an overlapping portion of the pocket region that is also covered by the first panel which resides therebeneath when the panels are in the first condition of orientation.
The first and second pouch panels are preferably provided with mutually engageable releaseable fasteners, such as the flexible, resilient fabric hook and loop fasteners sold under the registered trademark Velcro(copyright). When the releaseable fasteners are disengaged from each other, the orientations of the panels may be reversed. That is, in a first orientation the obverse surfaces of the first and second panels both face the top surface area of the pocket region of the cover and form a pocket therebetween. Small articles may be stored in this pocket if desired, for example, cloth or soft paper articles, such as tissues, bibs, wipes, and other soft articles may be stored in the pocket when the panels are in the first orientation. However, typically heavier or hard articles would not be stored in the pocket, since the article of bedding would then become uncomfortable to lie upon or lie beneath. When the panels are in the first orientation described, the article of bedding is typically deployed for use for its intended purpose as a cover, sheet, sleeping, bag or other article of bedding.
On the other hand, the releaseable fasteners holding the overlapping portions of the pouch panels together may be detached from each other so that the orientation of the pouch panels may be reversed. That is, the pouch panels may be turned inside out relative to each other so that the obverse surfaces of both the first and second panels are exposed and the reverse surfaces of the panels face each other. In this second orientation of the panels relative to each other the peripheral region of the cover that extends beyond the pocket region may be folded in toward the pocket region and compacted so that the entire peripheral region of the cover may be enveloped between the pair of panels and the pocket region of the cover. The releaseable fasteners are once again reengaged, thereby encapsulating the cover within the enclosed space defined by the two panels. The article of bedding thereby forms its own self-contained carrying case.
In some instances it may be desirable for both the first and second pouch panels to be formed of a waterproof or water repellent material. The article of bedding is thereby protected from rain and snow when carried outside in inclement weather.
When the pouch panels are disposed in their second orientation an article of bedding formed according to the present invention functions as a self-contained blanket or other cover and may also be used as a toss pillow or a cushion. When the cover is compacted within the enclosure formed between the two panels and the pocket region of the cover forming the opposing sides of the enclosure, the article may be handled extensively and serve as a pillow, cushion, or other soft support. The article may also be conveniently transported and moved from place to place in this compacted condition without danger of unfolding. On the other hand, when the releaseable fasteners are disengaged, the cover may be withdrawn completely from within the enclosure. The orientation of the pouch panels may again be reversed and the peripheral region of the cover may be spread from the pocket region to cover a desired area, such as an area on a bed or upon the floor.
In one broad aspect the present invention may be considered to be a self-storing bedding article comprising an expansive cover and a pouch formed with first and second panels. The cover has top and bottom surfaces and delineates a pocket region from a remaining peripheral region of the cover that projects outwardly from a demarcation boundary lying beyond the pocket region. Each of the pouch panels has an obverse and a reverse surface. The first and second pouch panels both have outer edges that are each permanently secured to the expansive cover along complementary portions of the demarcation boundary. In this way the pocket panels together overlie the pocket region of the cover completely. The first and second pocket panels also have linear, mutually parallel, overlapping free edges. The first and second panels may be oriented to reside with their obverse surfaces facing the top surface of the cover to form a pouch surmounting the top surface of the cover. In the alternative, the first and second panels are reversible and are positionable to reside with their obverse surfaces exposed, whereby the peripheral region of the expansive cover is foldable for insertion in between the reverse surfaces of the first and second panels and the pocket region of the cover for encapsulation therebetween.
Preferably, the first and second pouch panels both have a substantially rectangular shape and are permanently attached to the cover by stitches of thread completely along three of their sides. The fourth sides of the pouch panels are free and provide an access opening to the pocket formed with the top surface of the cover. The marginal portions of the pouch panels adjacent to their free edges overlap each other.
The pouch formed by the pouch panels and the pocket region of the cover is reversible. That is, the pouch may be turned inside out so that the reverse surfaces of the pouch panels face each other and the obverse surfaces of both pouch panels are exposed. When the panels are in this orientation, the peripheral portion of the cover can be folded in toward the bottom surface of the pocket region of the cover between the reverse surfaces of the pouch panels so that the cover can be folded and collapsed upon itself between the rear surfaces of the pouch panels and its own pocket region. The releaseable fasteners on the overlapping portions of the pouch panels can then be engaged to hold the entire cover in a compacted condition within the enclosed space defined between the first and second panels and the pocket region of the cover. Alternatively, the pouch panel orientation may be reversed relative to the cover so that the obverse surfaces of the panels face the pocket region of the cover. In this orientation of the pouch panels, the peripheral portion of the cover extends laterally outwardly from the pocket region of the cover and the second pouch panel overlaps the first pouch panel at the pocket region of the cover.
In a preferred arrangement, the releaseable fasteners are engageable with each other both when the reverse surfaces of the panels face each other and when the obverse surfaces of the panels face each other. This allows the pouch panels to be completely secured together throughout their edges irrespective of whether the obverse or reverse surfaces of the panels are in mutually facing relationship.
The cover itself is often rectangular with mutually parallel pairs of opposing cover edges. In some embodiments of the invention the pocket region of the cover at which the first and second pouch panels are secured to the cover is located adjacent one of the cover edges, typically midway between the two adjoining perpendicular cover edges. Alternatively, the pocket region may be centrally located in the cover. In such embodiments the peripheral region of the cover extends laterally in all directions from the pocket region.
In another aspect the invention may be considered to be a self-storing article of bedding comprising: an expansive cover having top and bottom surfaces and within which a pocket region is defined and which has a larger peripheral region extending beyond the pocket region, and a pouch. The pouch is formed of opposing first and second panels each having an obverse surface and a reverse surface. The first and second panels also both have boundary. edges that are permanently secured throughout to the cover to delineate an enclosing perimeter of the pocket region of the cover. The first and second panels each also have a free, linear edge. These free, linear, overlapping edges of the panels extended between their respective boundary edges to thereby divide the pocket region into a first area covered by the first panel, a second area covered by the second panel, and a third area covered. by both the first and second panels.
The panels are reversible between a first orientation in which their obverse surfaces face the pocket region of the cover and a second orientation in which their reverse surfaces face each other. When the pouch panels are in this second orientation the peripheral region of the cover is foldable toward the pocket region thereof. The peripheral region is collapsible for encapsulation between the first and second panels and the pocket region of the cover when the first and second panels are in the second orientation. The cover is alternatively withdrawable from between the first and second panels so that the peripheral region of the cover extends beyond the pocket region when the panels are in their first orientation previously described.
In a further broad aspect the invention may be considered to be a self-storing article of bedding comprising first and second pouch panels and an expansive cover formed of flexible fabric material having a top surface and in which a pocket area is delineated from a larger peripheral area. The first pouch panel has obverse and reverse surfaces overlying only a first portion of the pocket area. The first pouch panel is permanently secured about only a portion of its perimeter with the obverse surface thereof facing the top surface of the cover so as to leave a free, linear first pocket edge. The second pocket panel also has obverse and reverse surfaces and overlies the remaining portion of the pocket area beyond the first portion thereof. The second pocket panel is permanently secured about only a portion of its perimeter with the obverse surface thereof facing the top surface of the cover and also leaving a free, linear second pocket edge parallel to and overlapping the first pocket edge. In this way the pocket panels and the pocket area of the cover form a reversible pouch which resides atop the top surface of the cover when the obverse surfaces of the pocket panels are concealed facing the pocket area of the cover. Alternatively, when the pocket panels are reversed to expose their obverse surfaces, the peripheral area of the cover is foldable between the pocket panels for encapsulation between the reverse surfaces thereof and the pocket area of the cover.
The invention may be described with greater clarity and particularity by reference to the accompanying drawings.